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PEORIA, IL (June 1, 2026) — The Peoria Park District will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly completed improvements at Columbia Park on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Community members, neighborhood residents, project partners, and local officials are invited to attend the celebration.
The event will also serve as a kickoff to summer activities across the Peoria Park District, highlighting opportunities for patrons and families to stay positively engaged throughout the season.
Following the ribbon cutting, attendees are invited to enjoy a special Parks on Tap event featuring the District’s mobile TapHouse, live entertainment, food trucks, and family-friendly activities hosted by the Peoria Park District’s Rec ‘n Roll program. Additional activities will also be provided by the neighboring McClure Branch Library, further highlighting the connection between the park and library spaces.
The improvements were made possible through a partnership between the Peoria Park District and the City of Peoria. In 2025, the Park District entered into an agreement with the City to become a subrecipient of funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Through the program, the Peoria Park District received $450,000 for improvements to Columbia Park.
Funding supported the addition of:
- A new inclusive playground with poured-in-place safety surfacing
- A new shelter featuring electrical access at each post
- An accessible drinking fountain
- A new sidewalk connecting the shelter and playground areas
The shelter design intentionally reflects the roofline of the neighboring McClure Branch Library, creating a visual connection between the two community spaces.
“The Community Development Block Grant program is intended to support projects that improve the quality of life in neighborhoods and create accessible public spaces for residents. Columbia Park serves as an important community gathering space, and partnering with the Peoria Park District allowed these federal dollars to directly support improvements that residents identified as priorities for their neighborhood,” states Mayor Rita Ali.
Additional project savings were achieved by reusing much of the existing concrete perimeter curb from the previous playground installation, reducing landfill waste and conserving project resources.
The District also received an additional $66,015.78 in financial support for the playground portion of the project through a funding initiative sponsored by PlayCore and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association.
“At the Peoria Park District, our work begins with listening to the community,” states President Robert L. Johnson, Sr. of the Peoria Park District Board of Trustees. “Community input was at the heart of this project, from identifying the need for a shelter to helping select the final playground design. We are grateful to the City of Peoria for their trust and commitment to shared public spaces.”
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